Can opener



Dec. 25, 1934. R EAMES 1,985,489 CAN OPENER 7 Filed July 29, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

Dec. 25, 1934. R, EAMES 1,985,489

CAN OPENER Filed July 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 25, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE vA...1i..ZIIITZSS:3;T"iJ'ZZTSlllifiiiij a claims." (01. so-e The present invention relates to a device for opening tin cans and has for its prime object to provide adevice of this nature which may be permanently mounted under a shelf or the like -45 so that a tin can may be opened in an easy and efiicient manner.

A very important object of the invention resides in the provision of a device of this nature which is extremely simple in its construction.

inexpensive to manufacture, strong and durable, thoroughly efiicient and reliable in use and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

A still further very important object of the invention resides in the provision of, means whereby cans with. rims of various thickness may pass freely through the device and the invention consists in the details or construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved can'opener whereby certain importantadvantages are attainedond the device is rendered; simpler, less exp nsive and otherwise moreconvenient and advantageous for use, :all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

- In order that my invention may be the better understood I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein-- Fig. 1 is a bottom view .ofthe device showing can in position, but not yet entered;

Fig. 2 is a front view of openerin position for Fig. 3 is a bottom view showing can entered and in position to be opened but with cutter 4 removed.

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged :views of combined cutter and driver 4. c

- Figs. 6 and :7- are enlarged -:view.s of driver Figs. .8 and 9 are. enlarged views of spacing;

collar 5.

Fig. '10 is an enlarged sectional view'of can after opening has been completed.

- Numeral 1 is a fiat'base or holder. Numeral 21s a draw bar or entering means;

face is provided with a plurality of teeth as shown in Figs. Bands? and adapted to engage the upper face of rim of can and help drive same during the opening operation.

Numeral 4 is a combined cutter and driver Numeral 3 is a fiat, circular driver whoselower- Numeral 5 isa collar to accurately space driver 3 and combined cutter and driver 4.

Numeral 6 :is a stop to limit entry of can and turn same on on a circular course.

Numeral 7 a stop to limit the action of draw bar 2.

Numeralfi a. stop to limit bar 2.

Numeral 9 a crank. [Numeral 10 is a bearing 101' said crank. Numeral 11 .a collar to hold crank in position. Numeral. l2 screw holes to hold device to the under side of a shelf or the like. l Numeral :13 a nut to hold cutter and driver securely to crank- 1 Numeral 14 is a screw to holddraw bar or entering means movably to base. Numeral 15 represents the rim only of a can. Numeral '16 clearance for the bead which ap pears on the top of most cans. v

. Numeral'l'l represents the teeth on face of driver3.

Numeral .18 .the teeth on face of combined cutter anddriver 4. Numeral 19 the'frontend of draw bar 2. 2 Numeral 20the rear end of draw bar 2; Numeral '21 is a jam nut to hold screw 14 in the action of draw position.

Nmneral 22 a handle rotatably mounted on crank.

Numeral 23 isv a pin or screw to hold crank collar in place.

Numeral 24 a pin to hold handle rotatably on crank. I

Numeral 25 is important and2 represents the clearance. at all times on the outside of rim which allows damaged rims and those of various thickness to pass freely through the opener without recourse to springs or other complicated devices. r Referring specifically to numeral 25 in Fig. 3 it will be seen that the outside of the rim of can does not at any time come in contact with anything whcn passing through the cutting and driving elements, but is allowed considerable clearance at'this point. Outside of the slight friction .on the inside of the rim by the front end 19 of the draw bar 2 which serves tohold said draw bar in place, andtheystillless friction on the outside of therim by the stop 6, and for which a roller may be substituted, there is nothing to interfere "with the. free passage of the can through the opener; and so the rims which vary considerably in thickness will pass freely and easily through the machine and will always return to the starting point due to the fact that the top of rim is always tightly engaged with cutter and driver 4, one face of which is provided. 11 with a plurality of teeth and suitably spaced by.

collar to grip top and bottom of rim whilethe cutting operation is being performed,-a collar 11- to hold crank in position and a movable draw bar 2 to hold rim of can in position while the top is being removed.

In use the device is fastened underneath a shelf or the like by the screw holes 12, as shown in Fig. 2 with the crank bearing extending upwardly outside the edge of shelf and the draw bar 2 pulled out until the end of said drawbar comes in contact with the stop '7 as shown .in Fig. 1. The rim 15 is then placed between the fron end 19 of the draw bar 2 and the cutter 4 and the can either twisted slightly to the left or pressed forward into the device. This brings the end "19 of the draw bar 2 against the inside of the rim and the body of the can against the cutter 4 as shown in Fig. 1.

When the crank 9 is turned in a clockwise direction the combined cutter and driver4 pierces the body of the can slightly below the rim, whereupon the teeth on the top face of said cutter en'- gage the remaining portion of the can body still attached to' the rim and with the assistance of the teeth on the lower face of driver 3 which grip the top of the rim, the can is drawn forward into the machine. As the end 19 of the draw bar 2 is in contact with the inside of the rim it is drawn in along with the can until itcomes into place against stop 8 as shown in Fig. 3 and forces the rim'of can between the driver 3 and-cutter 4. It will be noted that at this time the can. does not revolve but is drawn forward in a curved path, said path depending on the radius described by the draw bar 2.

When the outside of the rim comes in contact with the stop 6 the can is turned oif on a circular course and continues to revolve until the operation of cutting off the top is completed. 3 As will be seen in Figs. 4 and 5 the teethon the face of cutter are widely spaced and as the edge of the tin is turned toward the teeth, it takes a firm grip that will not slip even if the. teeth are left off element 3 and as the teeth'do not extend to the cutting edge the can is cut off-clean and smooth, only the top which isremoved showing evidence of the action of the teeth as shown in Fig. 10. Y I

It will be readily seen from the foregoing description that if the crank 9 is turned in the opposite direction the top of canwill move out from between the cutting and driving elements and will move the draw bar 2 out to the position shown in Fig. 1 so that the top may be removed, and also that the can is positioned during. the operation, on the inside of the rim by the end .19 of the draw bar 2 and on the outside of the rim by the stop 6, and is held in this position .by the advantages of the present invention will now become apparent to those skilled in this art with- "out a more detailed description thereof, but it will be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and ar rangement of parts may be resorted to without departing'from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described the invention, what I ,clairnas new and desire to secure by Letters "Patent, is

,1. ,Ina can opener, a supporting plate having a bearing therein, a shaft mounted in said bearing and having thereon a rotary cutting element, a. ,gripping element, and a spacing element between the cutting and gripping elements, an elongated backing element having one end loosely pivoted on said plate and adapted to swing aboutits pivot from an inoperative position to a position on a line between its pivot and said bearing, stop-means for limiting the swinging movement upon reaching the operative position whereby, when the can bead is placed between the spacing element and the backing element in the inoperative position, and when the shaft is rotated, the "backing inemberwill be swung into operative position solely by means of its contact with thecan bead.

2. In a can opener, a supporting plate having ab'earing therein, a shaft mounted in said bearin'g'and having thereon a gripping element, a rotary cutting element, the upper face of which is provided with' grippingmeans, and a spacing element between the cuttingand gripping elements, anelongated backingelementhaving one end loosely pivoted on said plate and adapted to swing about its pivot from an inoperative position to a'position on a line between its pivot and said-bearing, stop vmeans for limiting the swinging movement upon reaching the operative posi.-. tion whereby, when the can bead isplaced between the spacing element and the backing element in the inoperative position, and when the shaft is rotated, the backing member will be swung into operative position solely by means of its contact with the can bead, said bead being held against the backing. element and clear of the spacing element by the action of the gripping elements. I.

3. In a can opener, a supporting plate having a bearing therein, a shaft mounted in said bearing and having thereon a gripping element, a rotary cutting element the upper face of which is provided with gripping means, and a spacing element between the cutting and gripping elements, an elongated backing element having one end loosely pivoted on said plate and adapted to swing about its pivot froman inoperative position to a position on a line between its pivot and said bearing, stop means for limiting the swinging movement uponreaching the operative position whereby, when the can bead is placed between the spacing element and the backing element in the inoperative position, and when the shaft is rotated, the backing member will be swung'into operative position solely by means of itscontact with the can bead. w

, ROBERT EAMES.

cutting and 

